Press Release

Ring in the Holidays with Music, Memories and Magic at Walt Disney World Resort and Beyond

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Christmas cheer meets Disney magic with holiday celebrations at Walt Disney World Resort and Disney Cruise Line in 2015. Celebrate with family, friends and favorite Disney characters during this exciting season filled with festive jubilation.

Celebrate Thanksgiving Day with Family Feasts at Walt Disney World Resort

Walt Disney World Resort guests can join together for a joyous and delicious Thanksgiving Day dinner. With a variety of dining options at the theme parks and resorts, there is a cornucopia of exciting lunch and dinner offerings inspired by this American tradition.

Guests can enjoy menu options for Thanksgiving Day meals at Walt Disney World Resort featuring a classic turkey dinner, such as the hearty all-American eats and traditional family- style Thanksgiving feast at Liberty Tree Tavern in Magic Kingdom Park. For guests looking for a special spin on the traditional turkey dinner, try some of the more unique options, such as traditional Norwegian meatballs and pan-seared salmon at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall or roasted heirloom beets with candied walnuts and mulled apple cider at Artist Point.

Availability is limited and dining events are subject to change. For information and reservations, call 407-WDW-DINE.

Holiday Celebrations at Walt Disney World Resort

Magic Kingdom

Add some very to your merry at the veriest, merriest Christmas party of the season. Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at Magic Kingdom hosts 20 nights of yuletide cheer from Nov. 8 – Dec. 18, 2015. From 7 p.m. to 12 a.m. during select nights at Magic Kingdom park, this annual ticket event will bring Christmas joy to guests of all ages with festive decorations, towering Christmas trees, and wintry wonderful entertainment.

Beginning at 7 p.m. (after regular park hours), guests with special event tickets can enjoy the spectacular holiday splendor, along with complimentary cookies and hot cocoa, and snow flurries on Main Street, U.S.A. Special holiday entertainment during the event includes Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade, A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas! Dance Party, “Celebrate the Season” musical stage show starring favorite Disney characters, and “Holiday Wishes: Celebrate the Spirit of the Season” fireworks spectacular.

Disney characters dressed in their Christmas best will be available for meet and greets throughout the park. In addition, don’t miss Queen Elsa from “Frozen” as she uses her incredible powers to transform Cinderella Castle nightly into a glistening ice palace for the holidays during “A Frozen Holiday Wish” castle lighting show.

Also for the holiday season, the iconic Jungle Cruise will temporarily transform into “Jingle Cruise” for Magic Kingdom guests. Festive decor in the attraction queue and boathouse gives guests a bit of Christmas cheer. The Jingle Cruise boats each are given a unique holiday name, and the Skippers share a slew of seasonal holiday jokes throughout the tour.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit Disneyworld.com/Christmasparty. Tickets for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party 2015 can be purchased for the following dates:

November 8, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 19, 20 and 29

December 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 13, 15, 17 and 18

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

A spectacular light display boasting millions of glittering lights, the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights is perfectly synchronized to a high-energy holiday symphony. This magical display of Christmas lights can be seen on the Streets of America from Nov 6, 2015 through Jan 3, 2016.

Epcot

One of the most beloved holiday traditions at Epcot, the Candlelight Processional inspires guests and instills the Christmas spirit through the retelling of the Christmas story by celebrity narrators, accompanied by a masterful orchestra and choir. The Candlelight Processional is performed three times each evening, 5:00, 6:45 and 8 p.m., from Nov. 27 to Dec. 30. For the full schedule of narrators and to make reservations for a Candlelight Processional Dinner Package, visit disneyworld.com/holiday.

Guests become immersed in holiday festivities while experiencing holiday traditions from various countries throughout World Showcase during Holidays Around the World Nov 27 – Dec. 30. Share in the sights and sounds of the nations of World Showcase as each country’s holiday heritage comes to life amid joyful music, interactive storytelling and time-honored traditions.

Epcot features special holiday merchandise perfect for every shopper’s Christmas list. Santa’s Village in American Adventure and Christkindlmarkt in Germany feature extra special shopping experiences with unique Christmas ornaments and holiday items.

While shopping, guests can stop by the Future World Fountain Stage for a joy-filled performance by “Joyful!” This spirited ensemble uniquely blends the soulful expressiveness of gospel and inspirational music with the sounds of jazz, R&B and urban music. This holiday performance features classic Christmas tunes with a soulful spin.

The merriment continues with meet and greets with Santa and Mrs. Claus, plus the nightly “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth – Holiday Edition,” a laser, light, fireworks display capped with a seasonal finale.

This spectacular light display boasting millions of glittering lights is perfectly synchronized to a high-energy holiday symphony and is capped off with a flurry of snow.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Meet Mickey and Minnie at Adventurers Outpost in Disney’s Animal Kingdom during the holiday season for a special photo opportunity. Mickey and Minnie dress in their holiday best, which makes for the perfect Christmas card photo.

Downtown Disney

Downtown Disney will be decked with holiday decor to bring Christmas cheer to holiday shoppers and guests. Santa will be available for a special meet and greet, along with jolly holiday entertainment throughout the season.

Walt Disney World Resort Hotels

All of Walt Disney World shines brightly with merry decor during the holiday season, including Walt Disney World Resort Hotels. Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort is a favorite holiday stop with its 16-foot-high Victorian gingerbread house located in the lobby. Disney’s Beach Club Resort hosts an incredible gingerbread carousel display, accompanied by the sweet smell of Christmas treats wafting through the entryway. Disney’s Contemporary Resort and Disney’s Boardwalk Resort have their own festive gingerbread holiday displays for guests’ delight. Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge showcase breathtaking Christmas trees towering inside the resorts. With so many splendid sights to see, Christmas joy radiates to every corner of Walt Disney World Resort.

The Gift of Special Savings this Holiday Season at Walt Disney World Resort

Experience the merriment of the season at Walt Disney World Resort with incredible family-sized savings. The Magic Together Fall Vacation Package is a 4-day/4-night room and theme park ticket package in a standard room at Disney’s All-Star Resorts for a family of four starting at $1,701. To book by phone, call (407) 939-1309 and speak with a vacation planning expert or call your travel agent. For more information, visit DisneyWorld.com/special-offers/fall-together.

Guests also can save up to 25 percent on rooms at select Walt Disney World Resort hotels this fall with special savings available most nights October 4 through November 24, 2015 and November 28 through December 23, 2015. To book by phone, call (407) 939-1309 and speak with a vacation planning expert or call your travel agent. For more information, visit DisneyWorld.com/special-offers.

Holiday Happenings at ESPN Wide World of Sports

For the 17th consecutive year, ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex will host the Pop Warner Super Bowl & National Cheer and Dance Championships. The event will consist of more than 64 teams from eight Pop Warner regions playing in four age/weight classifications (Jr. Peewee, Pewee, Jr. Midget, Midget). Throughout the six-day event, 68 games will be played, including the Division I Midget National Championship Game, which is featured on ESPN and ESPN2 throughout the NFL Super Bowl Week. This year’s event will take place from Dec. 4 to 12.

Disney Soccer Showcase is the ultimate place for top clubs to perform in front of hundreds of college coaches looking for great soccer talent. Rated the best youth soccer tournament in the U.S. in a Soccer America survey, Disney Soccer Showcase will give athletes a chance to shine on one of the biggest stages set for youth soccer in the country. The event will take place at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Boys will participate from Dec. 27 to 30. Girls will participate from Dec. 31 to Jan. 3.

The Disney New Year’s Baseball Classic at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex is for youth athletes between 8 and 18 years old. Every player selected for the event is automatically enrolled in the MVP Head Start College Recruiting Program at no additional costs, while the event itself allows players to learn from MVP pro coaches in preparation for their upcoming baseball seasons. This year’s event takes place from Dec. 30 to Jan. 2.

Sail Away to a Magical Winter Holiday with Disney Cruise Line

This holiday season, Disney Cruise Line ships will be all decked to the “raft-ers” with holiday cheer. Starting early November, Disney Cruise Line adds sparkle to each ship during Very Merrytime Cruises, with traditional “turkey day” fanfare, Christmas feasts, “snow flurries” and New Year’s Eve galas. During these voyages through the new year, holiday events include a tree-lighting ceremony with favorite Disney friends, Dickens-inspired carolers, a holiday deck party, themed treats and more.

On one extra-special evening each cruise, the grand atrium lobby becomes the setting for a fanciful winter wonderland ball, where Disney cruisers welcome the guests of honor, Santa and Mrs. Claus, with a grand celebration featuring Broadway-style entertainment, favorite Disney characters and classic holiday tunes. This evening of enchantment is made complete when a special pair of royal sisters joins the party and causes a flurry of “frozen” fun as a magical snowfall overtakes the atrium.